The present invention relates to the processing of computer diskettes. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for vertically stacking and collating, by way of directional orientation, the diskettes.
The invention is related to the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,675, issued Mar. 20, 1990, which disclosed a processing and packaging system for prerecorded computer diskettes. The present invention is suitable for use in said system or similar systems or applications.
Diskettes are often processed with several sequential diskettes comprising a set. Each individual set is then boxed or packaged. Collation of each individual set facilitates handling and packaging of the sets. Collation of articles, including diskettes, may be accomplished by several different means. One means is the insertion of flags between each set. An additional collation means is the insertion of each set in a separate bin as is often done in photostatic paper copying. Both of these techniques have attendant disadvantages. Insertion of flags requires a supply of the flagging material and the additional apparatus for insertion. Collation by separate bins requires significant additional product handling equipment along with the additional bins.
The two types of diskettes most commonly available are the 31/2 inch diameter disk enclosed in a rigid plastic shell with a movable metallic shutter and the 51/4 inch diameter disk with a flexible cover and a radially-extending slot. The 51/4 inch diskettes are typically labeled and inserted into protective sleeves before they are ready for stacking and/or collating. The sleeves consist of open envelopes into which the diskettes are placed with one end of the diskette exposed. This lends toward an obvious visual distinction in the stacking of differently-oriented diskettes.
The 31/2 inch diskettes are generally labeled but not sleeved before stacking and/or collating. The metallic shutter on one edge of the 31/2 inch diskettes provide obvious visual distinction for differently-oriented stacked 3178 inch diskettes.